Date: Fri 01-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SUZANN

Quick Words:

Plodinek-church-Baptist

Full Text:

Bible Baptist Pastor Ordained

(with cut)

BY SUZANNA NYBERG

Usually a pastor will have but one ordination in a lifetime, but the Rev

Stephen Plodinek, the pastor of the Bible Baptist Church, has had two. Mr

Plodinek began the ordination process at Grace Community Church in California

and recently completed it here in Newtown. He was officially ordained at the

church last Saturday.

Ordination is a lengthy process, comparable to earning a medical degree or

doctorate, explained Mr Plodinek. "This is the church's official stamp of

approval," he said. "It reflects the idea that God has indeed set this person

aside as a minister in the church."

There is a scriptural basis for ordination, Mr Plodinek asserted; even the

examination process itself comes from the Bible. "Scripture is not ambiguous

with regard to who gets ordained," he said. One need only turn to Moses with

Aaron in the Hebrew scriptures or Jesus with the disciples in the Gospels to

see how the process works.

There are four phases to an ordination. At the preliminary application phase,

Mr Plodinek was examined by a professor, a pastor, and a lay elder on both his

ability and his character. This committee even conducted an investigation into

his background, calling friends and colleagues to assess his character and

evaluate his conduct.

The licensure phase of ordination was a two-year period of study, upon

completion of which Mr Plodinek was examined on theology, the Bible, and how

the Bible applies to daily life. What does the Bible say about Armageddon? Mr

Plodinek can cite and quote the exact verse from Scripture. How does the Bible

view depravity and guilt? Mr Plodinek can not only answer the question, but

can give the sinner advice on how to redeem himself.

"This was a long, hard exam," Mr Plodinek said. "It lasted five hours, which

may seem like an excessive amount of time, but it's important that church

leaders make sure that a candidate knows what he is supposed to know." Mr

Plodinek missed only question during the exam.

The second part of the exam, the practical application of the Bible, is

important to a ministry, Mr Plodinek said, as he compared the role of the

minister to that of the therapist. "The difference is that when a

parishioner's life falls apart, the minister turns to scripture to help

assuage him, whereas the psychologist uses analytical techniques," he said.

For Mr Plodinek, everyone has problems for which they need comforting, but

each person also has spiritual gifts. One often thinks of gifts as talents,

the ability to carry a tune or play the flute, but often gifts can be simple

traits that one takes for granted. Generosity, the ability to give freely and

spontaneously and without a great deal of thought, can be a gift. "But all

should be generous," Mr Plodinek said. "Just because some live it, does not

mean that others are absolved from practicing it." Likewise, the gift of mercy

may be one that few ever see or hear, but those who hug and touch are just as

valuable as those who can preach.

Mr Plodinek sees his greatest gift as the ability to teach and explain. It was

for this ability, he feels, that his ordination was affirmed in a public

service last week. "When one is looking at eternity and is put in the position

of explaining what God says, one is in a dangerous position," Mr Plodinek

said. "The church has to be sure that someone is capable of such

responsibility."

Mr Plodinek has a family that will not only ensure he meets those

responsibilities, but has helped him through the process. He and his wife,

Karen, have three children: Stephen, Timothy, and Kimberly.